The Leadership Institute for Faith and Education: Building Partnerships for Equity, Justice, and Student Success June 29 – July 11, 2021 | Online | Tuition: $375 per person; Groups of 10+: 25% off final invoice www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/life A growing number of faith-based organizations and public schools have formed meaningful, clearly-defined partnerships across the American educational landscape. And, given the challenges that communities are faced with in response to COVID-19, these partnerships are more critical than ever. The Leadership Institute for Faith and Education: Building Partnerships for Equity, Justice, and Student Success provides attendees with a model for developing effective partnerships between faith-based organizations and public schools, to address and elevate student achievement. Participants will examine evidence-based information that supports the importance of faith-based organizations partnering with local public schools, particularly in historically-marginalized urban and rural communities; explore examples of successful partnerships between faith-based organizations and public schools at a local, regional, and national level; and develop an initial action plan for moving their learning from theory to practice — in partnership with others in their immediate community.
PROGRAM DETAILS In this four-week online course, participants will explore research and best practices around the issue of education and faith-based partnerships. Topics include: • Surveying the state of public education in America, exploring the inequities that persist for vulnerable students and communities, and the rationale for partnerships with faith-based organizations • Understanding how faith-based organizations can serve as essential community partners for improving student achievement outcomes, and exploring opportunities to build interfaith initiatives • Examining the historical context for faith-based and public education partnerships • Creating effective partnerships while upholding the United States Constitution • Learning how to establish effective faith-based/education partnerships using case studies and testimonials to understand successes and pitfalls This learning experience is largely asynchronous (self-paced), and includes two live webinars.
FACULTY CHAIR Irvin Leon Scott Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE At Harvard, Scott’s concentration is educational leadership.
OBJECTIVES • Examine the rationale for systemic, integrated faith-based and education partnerships (in contrast to random acts of partnership) based on the following four core principles of community organizing: – Local leadership development – Realistic, measurable, and scalable achievement outcomes – Building programmatic and advocacy coalitions across social, political, and religious boundaries
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
– Accountability for public officials in faith-based organizations and schools
This program is designed for a wide variety of educators, community partners, foundation officials, faith-based leaders, and public policymakers who are interested in exploring ways to establish effective collaborative partnerships that can improve student outcomes and close persistent performance, especially in historically marginalized communities. Participants may include:
• Explore the historical context for faith-based and education partnerships, in understanding the rationale for partnerships between school and church. Analyze the First Amendment to the Constitution and its two clauses, the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause, as they offer parameters, possibilities, and limits to faith-based organizations and education partnerships. • Explore and analyze the components of key successful, working examples of faith-based and education partnerships. • Devise an Action Plan with which to return to schools, faith-based organizations, and community structures.
• Public school educators (teachers, principals, and superintendents); • Leaders from a diverse range of faith-based, ethical and moral communities, e.g. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc., and those many others who share an interest in ensuring equitable opportunities for children to succeed and achieve academically and in life; • Foundation officials interested in understanding and funding faith-based and education partnerships; • Public policy makers interested in the role of religion in civic life; • Other non-profit and corporate leaders who see their work as being a part of the larger ecosystem of supports that will enable more equitable and thriving communities.
For additional information, contact our admissions team at ppe@gse.harvard.edu.